JUAN DE LA COSA 

Born in 1460, Juan de la Cosa would become a worthy, Spanish sea captain, sailing with Christopher Columbus to the New World, not on one but on three different voyages.  During his first trip, Cosa sailed, leaving the port of Palos in the summer of 1492.  At that time, Cosa owned the flagship of this expedition called the Santa Maria.  However, Cosa was not an experienced navigator or pilot but with the help of Columbus, they made the voyages. 

Then in the fall of 1492, together they discovered the New World, landing in the Bahamas.  From that point forward, they also discovered the northeast coat of Cuba and the northern coast of Espanola prior to returning home to Spain.  When Columbus made his second voyage in 1493, Cosa was given the position of master and cartographer of the ship called Marigalante.  Months later, they saw the island of Dominica, located in the West Indies. 

Eventually, the fleet crisscrossed the Caribbean, making many island discoveries along the way.  In fact, they came upon so many islands that Columbus called the area Las Mil Virgenes, which translates to One Thousand Virgins. Weeks after, they arrived in Espanola where they spent time exploring Cuba’s south side and then Espanola’s south side.  Then in the spring of 1496, Columbus sailed back to Spain. 

During the third voyage with Christopher Columbus in 1498, Cosa sailed on a ship named La Nina.  In the summer of that same year, they arrived on South America’s coat, making them the first to see this continent.  Moving on, they sailed to Espanolas and in 1500, Columbus was arrested, actually being chained, and shipped back to Spain.  Cosa played an important role on this trip, being a signor of the Perez Luna Agrement, stating Cuba was now a continent.  Under the order of Columbus, Cosa signed. 

The fourth voyage of Cosa to the New World took place in 1499.  At that time, Cosa was the pilot of the expedition Alonso de Ojeda.  They made a great discovery of what we know today as Venezuela, sailing along the coast until they reached Cabo del Vela.  Then Cosa took yet another voyage to the New World, his fifth.  This time, he sailed with Rodrigo Bastidas, leaving Spain in 1500.  During this expedition, they spent time exploring South America’s north coast, finally reaching what we now call Panama and Colombia. 

Then in 1503, Cosa was sent to Lisbon by the King and Queen of Castilla.  His goal was to collect information on what the Portuguese intended to do regarding the New World.  However, Cosa was arrested although soon, they released him.  Upon his arrival back in Spain, his famous Mappa Mundi, a map of the known world to include the New World was presented.  This map, which would become a huge importance for future explorers, was dated 1500. 

Cosa headed out on his sixth trip to the New World in 1506.  What made this trip different is that he sailed to Uraba, finding a small fortune of gold taken from the natives around the Darien area.  When he returned to Spain, he took with him almost 500,000 marabies.  With this, the Queen Isabela appointed him to the Junta de Bargos post.  Cosa’s seventh voyage to the New World would take place in 1508. 

Accompanied by Alonso de Ojeda, the goal this time was to colonize Tierra Firme, which was located in today’s Colombia.  Unfortunately, he and his men were met with ambush by the Turbaco natives, shooting Cosa with poisonous arrows.  In his attempt to cover Ojeda’s retreat, Cosa was killed.